Sticks and stones may break my bones
But words said in anger hurt me.
I have been thinking a lot about all of the anger people have over the issue of guns in the wake of the Newtown shooting. I think what bothers me more than anything is if this was a different venue those responses would be wildly inappropriate. Imagine this
"If you think that legalizing gay marriage is going to solve anything then you are too stupid to live".
This kind of statement is hurtful, insulting and designed to do nothing to further conversation. Yet I have people on FB who had no problem saying
"If you think banning assault rifles is going to solve anything then you are too stupid to live".
It's still ugly. It's still hateful and if a child said this to another child we would call it bullying but because it was said by an adult to a technically faceless group of people it's somehow ok. No. It's not. The Internet has become a home for easy anonymous anger without consequences. Until it does.
I had a few people email me privately telling me to "grow some thicker skin". It's not about thick skin for me. It's about not wanting to be a party to such deep anger. In the past these same people condemned other for the same actions they now want me to get over. All they see is the "rightness" of their cause not the consequences of their words.
I don't want to be a party to words that hurt. To anger that dehumanizes.
Not my thing but your mileage may vary.
Posted via LiveJournal.app.